Clasp device for utilizing earrings as jewelry clip ornaments



March 28, 1950 E. BATTISTE CLASP DEVICE FOR UTILIZING EARRINGS AS JEWELRY CLIP ORNAMENTS Filed March 10, 1944 IN V EN TOR.

A TTOE/VEY Patented Mar. 28, 1950 YELVUNITEDVV STATES PATENT OFFICE.

1 CLASP DEVICE UTILIZING EARRINGS AS JEWELRY CLIP ORNAMENTS EmilBattiste, New York, N. Y. "Application March 10, 1944, Serial No. 525,934

My invention relates generally toclasp devices. More particularly my invention'is directed toward an improved construction for clasp devices of'the type employed for earrings.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a highly improved clasp device adapted to be attached to an earring which shall be 'so constructed and arranged that the said earring may, whenever desired, be additionally utilized as a jewelry clip ornament.

Another object of my invention is to provide a clasp device of the "character described which shall comprise relatively few and simple parts, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulate and yet represent a general improvement in the art.

Other objects of my invention will hereinafter be pointed out or will become apparent from the description of the invention to follow.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an earring with the clasp device of my invention attached thereto and illustrating the effective position of the said clasp device for frictionally holding the earring attached to the ear lobe in the customary manner; I 1

Fig. 2=is a rear elevational view thereof;

' Fig. 3 is a side elevational viewsimilar to-Fig. 1, but showing the claspdevice in open or ineffective position;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 with a portion of the ornament in elevation and with the pin member in lowered position, illustrating the manner of utilizing the clasp device for converting the earring into a jewelry clip ornament to be attached to the garment of the wearer;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 6--6 of Fig. 1.

Referrring now in detail to the drawings I have shown a jewelry ornament ll] of any desired style and shape, suitable to be used as an earring. To the rear wall Illa. of this ornament Ill, adjacent the bottom thereof, there is permanently attached, by any customary attaching means, such as, for example, by soldering or cementing a channel member having a pair of ears I l between which there is journaled a shaft l2, the ends l2a of which may be riveted over as shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 5. Attached to the shaft l2, for rotation therewith, is an S-shaped clasp member I5 having a portion 15a of non-circular cross sectional contour, surrounding the shaft and disposed between the ears lZa. Fixed to the wall Ella of the ornament I0 is a flat spring member 2!! having its free end portion 20a resiliently resting against a flat side of the square l5 and the wall lila of the ornament will be such as to frictionally grip the ear lobe therebetween to hold the earring in the well known manner. By manually rotating the clasp member 15 in a clockwise direction from its position inFig. 1 -to the open position shown in Fig. 3, the spring 20 will 'snapinto position on the next adjacentflat face of the square portion I50. to frictionally retain the same in such open position.

In-accordancewith my invention and to enable the wearer of the earring) toutilize the same as a jewelryclipornament on a dress or other similar garment, vI provide the following novel construction. 1 o.

A pair of spaced ears 39, which may be integral with the clasp member l5 as shown, or which may be solderedor welded thereto in the. well known manner, are provided. Disposed between the ears as and journaled therein is a shaft-3|, the ends 31a thereof being riveted overas shown.

"Disposed between'the-ears 3G and mounted .on

the shaft 3| for rotation thereof is a member 35 preferably of such cross-sectional contour as to have two flat adjacent faces 35a and 35b, but which may be of any suitable non-circular crosssectional contour. Attached to the member 35 for rotational movement therewith is an upstanding pin member 46 of the type suitable to pierce the material of a garment without damage thereto. A flat spring member 50 carried by the clasp member l5 having its free end 50a resiliently pressing up against a flat side of the member 35 serves to maintain the shaft 3| and the said member 35 against undesired rotational movement. An aperture is provided in the wall of the clasp member IE to permit the rotation of the pin member 49 in a counter clockwise direction as viewed from Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings.

It is thus seen from the above described construction that when it is desired to convert the earring shown in Figs. 1 to 3 into a jewelry clip ornament, it is merely necessary to manually move the pin member 40 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that of the full line position shown in Fig. 4. This can be done by a finger of the hand or by any suitable tool at hand, such as, for example, a nail file. In such position the pin member 40 will pierce the material of the garment and be held attached thereto.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be noted that when the pinimeniberdfl islin its upright,-or dotted=line position the spring -50 will resiliently bear :up against the flat face 35a of the member 35 and when the pin member 40 is moved 90 degrees, to the full line position, the spring 50 will resiliently bear up against the fiat face 351). .To vreconver t the ornament for use as an earring it is merely necessary to rotate the pin member -back' to its upright position.

It is noted that in accordance with my invention I have arranged the construction and operation of the pin member 40 so that when the ornament is=used as-anearring as 'in Fig. :1) the said pin member will be protectively received withih a hollow portion :of the S-shaped'clasp member f5 so thatno damage will occur to the ear of the wearer or to the fingers while handling the'same.

llnzacccrdancewith' the provisions of the patent :statutes, I [have :herein described the principle and (operation of my invention, together with constr-uction which I now consider to represent the best embodiment -thereof, but I desire-to'have vitzundersto'od-that the construction shown isonly :illustrati-ve and that the invention can be car- 'ried out vby other .means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements in thecombination andvrelations described, some of thesemay b'ealtered and others romitted withtoutinterfering with themoregeneral results outlined, and the invention extends to such use.

Having :descrlibe'd my invention, what I claim and desire to :secure by 'Letters:Patent is:

1. A combination :jewelry. clipand earring comprising a clasplmember having a :concaved portion and an aperture fin ."said concaved portion, "arsha'it 'pivotally mounted on said iclasp member,

a projecting pin member fixed to said shaft/mem- :benand adapted to *pierce the material :or a carment, :said ipin member when in ineffective :positlonbeing disposed within-said concaved portion and aiiaptedito pass .freely through said aperture when moved to effective position.

2..-Adevice1accordin'g to claim 9 in which the means Flor releasably maintaining isaid ,pin memher in said two different positions comprises a portion of said shaft being non-circular in crosssectional contour and a spring member fixed to said clasp member and having a portion thereof normally pressing up against said non-circular portion.

3. A device according to claim 9 in which the .meansfor releasably maintaining said pin member in said two different positions comprises a portion of such shaft being of such cross sec- :tional contour as to have at least two fiat faces at angles to each other, and a spring mem er '1fixedto.'said main body member and havin a portion thereof normally pressing up against one of said iflat ffaces.

4. A combination jewelry clip and earring comprising 'a'cla'sp,'apair of spaced ears fixed to said 'clasp, :a shaft disposed between said ears and journaled therein, a pin support mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith, said .support being of .such cross-sectional contour as to have -.two

fiat adjacent faces 'angularly disposed with respect to each othenan upstanding .pin member fixed to said :pin supportfor rotation therewith '.and adapted to pierce the material .of a'garment .-and-a fiatspring carried by said clasp .and having its .free end .resiliently .pressing .up against one of said .flat .iaces .of .said lpin support to maintain said shaft against rotationalmovement for .use asajewelry clip, said ,pin member being .manuall-y.rotatable against the action of said flat spring to .aposition whereby said free end of said flat spring resiliently presses against the other .of said .fiat faces to maintain said shaft against rotational movement for use as an earring.

EMIL 'BATTISTE.

REFERENCES CITED The following :references are of record in the :fil-e of :this patent:

"UNITED STATES PATENTS :Number Name Date 710,657 Baumeister 'et a1. Oct. 7, 1902 1,170,047 Conway Feb. 1, 1916 1,967,965 Morehouse et al. July 24, 1934 2,233,043 -Bazner. o Feb. 25, 1941 2,306,947 .Heyman Dec. 29, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS -Number Country Date 764,127 IFrance Nov. 21, 1933 

